Dynamics of the Adria region using mantle tomography, geophysical-petrological modeling and mantle flow

Mantle dynamics beneath the Adria region are characterized by a complex interaction of lithospheric and sublithospheric processes, reflecting its role within the broader geodynamic framework of the Central Mediterranean. Seismic tomography provides valuable constraints on present-day mantle structure. On other hand, recent geophysical-petrological studies also inferred the slab geometry beneath the Apennines, Dinarides and Calabrian. However, linking these observations to mantle flow and surface expressions remains a challenging task.

In this study, we establish a numerical framework linking regional seismic tomography and geophysical-petrological models with simulations of instantaneous viscous flow of the mantle, to evaluate their contributions to present-day dynamic topography. Our approach consists of two main steps. First, isotropic shear-wave velocity anomalies from a selected tomographic model are converted into three-dimensional temperature and density fields. Second, these density anomalies, together with prescribed rheological laws, are used to compute instantaneous mantle flow by solving the Stokes equations, from which normal stresses at the surface are derived to estimate dynamic topography. In this second stage, we consider the previously modeled slab geometries to better define the viscosity boundaries.

The model domain is defined as a three-dimensional Cartesian volume extending from 30°N to 51°N in latitude, from 10°W to 36°E in longitude, and down to a depth of 660 km. The conversion from seismic velocities to temperature and density is performed using the V2RhoT_gibbs Python tool, which relies on Gibbs free-energy minimization and pre-computed thermodynamic lookup tables for a given mantle composition. Several material models are explored in order to better capture both lithospheric and asthenospheric structures.

The resulting density fields are implemented in the open-source geodynamic code ASPECT to compute the instantaneous mantle flow and its surface response. Different rheological scenarios are investigated, ranging from constant viscosity to temperature- and stress-dependent diffusion–dislocation creep laws. We present preliminary results illustrating the inferred mantle flow patterns and associated dynamic topography, and discuss their implications for the present-day dynamics of the Adria region.